


Violets

by ryokomitsuragi



Category: Original Work
Genre: F/M, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Original Character(s), Original Fiction, THEY DESERVE IT, This is an AU, so the "lovers" bit might not happen, this might be a one shot though, wherin things are less traumatizing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-05
Updated: 2019-04-28
Packaged: 2020-02-09 08:54:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18634885
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ryokomitsuragi/pseuds/ryokomitsuragi
Summary: this is essentially a snippet  involving two of my oldest characters. im trying to get into writing about them. my best friend and long time sounding board for our shared universe and chara's shenanigans has passed and by preserving this i hope i can hold onto more of him. i love you B.J. "good bight" my brotherthe working title before i posted this was "au where nothing bad happens" which isnt entirely true but, it is if you compare it with the canon, lol.edited a little bit but its still rough. might change it as i find more I'd like to change. peace out





	Violets

Mostly, they made two trips a year. Once in the spring to sell jarred and preserved goods from last falls harvest, and once in the fall to peddle summers yield. they only came other times if a custom order was large enough to justify the trip. Akira wasn’t entirely sure how far away they lived but he made the orders anyhow.

 

And this, as it so happened, was the source of his father’s current exasperation with him. Senran was well aware just why his son kept fervently pleading for "just a few more boxes of that tea , papa!" or "that rose jelly was so good!!! may I please have some more? ",and he would give in because in his heart of hearts, Senran was defenseless against his darling boy’s pleading. Lin Ya teased that the entirety of their coffers would be wasted on pickled turnips and tea though they both knew this to be unlikely.

 

Yes,Senran knew his sons need for the Drakon grocers good had little to do with his unyielding love of foreign foods and everything to do with the grocers shy daughter, about Akira’s age, who made delivery trips with her father. on the day, the delivery was due and every day leading to it: Akira was unbearably nervous, occasionally moody. though he would never talk about why, as if it weren’t painfully transparent from how wistfully he would look out the window and sigh deeply after the delivery was done and the grocer and his daughter departed for home.

 

This time , when they arrived ,his son was at the window waiting. The tip of his leather bound journal peeking out from his yukata sleeve. “Calm yourself,child. They have traveled too far to leave without respite” the bright talkative boy; looked away shyly. He had been caught. “why don’t you prepare tea for Ryoko while i receive them?” Senran didn't look away from the window but the furious “pat pat” of Akira’s feet retreating down the hall let him know his son’s anxiety had been redirected;temporarily.

When the knock came Senran was ready and open the door promptly. Ulysses’ manner was bright and gregarious as usual and his shrinking violet daughter’s nature was similarly intact. She clung to her father’s cloak, her wary eyes peeking out from her own hood. Senran nodded “Ulysses.” he nodded. Smiling especially to ease Ryoko’s anxiety“was the journey pleasant?”

They had this exchange many times now, and Ulysses walked in, hanging his cloak and depositing the parcel, wrapped in neat brown paper with orange twine, on the table to be fetched by the governess at a later time. Ryoko, clutched onto her fathers sleeve now, in lieu of a cloak. “darling-” her father crouched and unfastened the clasp on her own cowl “-take of your traveling things and stay a while. We’re guests.” he ruffled her hair affectionately and she pouted at him (scowled) as she regarded him a traitor in her mind. “go play with Akira.”

Senran sighed, smiling at this child’s reclusive personality.“yes, i have it on good accord that there are snacks and tea waiting for you” knowing Ryoko well enough by now, her eyes brightened a little at this and she padded down the hallway to where she already knew Akira’s room to be. 

 

Ulysses chuckled. “breakfast?” Senran said as he led Ulysses to the tea room. As he sat down he seemed to puzzle over something. “we aren’t pushing them together are we?” Senran raised a brow as he sat across the other. They would not partake until Senran’s wife could join them. 

“Whyever do you say that? Akira needs to make friends” he poured the tea to steep as they waited, nodding at the Suzune as she brought it. On her way to Akira’s room no doubt.

Ulysses sighed ,leaning his elbow on the short table. Smiling knowingly “i was under the impression he was quite popular, Ryoko doesn't talk to anyone so honestly i worry more about her making friends.This week she was manning the storefront and wouldn't look customers in the eye let alone speak to them, but your boy? Isn’t he friend with just about everyone? I know he talks my ear off when i give him a chance” he laughed as a show of good nature.

Senran levied his brows at him. Impressing upon him that he was thinking too simplistically. “he IS well liked and he talks a mile a minute but isn’t friends with them. There’s a separation he maintains with everyone here that he doesn't attempt with Ryoko. He trusts her, Ulysses. Like he doesn't trust his peers at home.” Senran clenches his jaw trying to word this elegantly “i believe,he has..Memories of our time in the Mitsuragi compound. When it is brought up he just…” Senran clenches and unclenches his fist “closes off…i cant explain it yet but Ryoko being like him in that regard but..More steadfast? Inspires him to pull her in.Maybe he’ll tell her..”

Ulysses watched as he spoke. For a man so boisterous he knew precisely when to observe and listen. “you've-” he stuttered “Senran what happened to yo-?”

“I am not ready.” he was looking at his lap and folded hands. The silence stretched out between them. 

Lin ya glided into the room then and in the business of exchanging pleasantries the moment of tension had passed. But it was not forgotten. It was often easy to forget the faceless nightmares in his friend’s past. But then , at times like these, the realization would come over him again; like remembering a snippet of a bad dream. How many more years-Ulysses wondered to himself- would it be before Senran shared his burden with him.


End file.
